Increased coffee consumption as a protection against diabetes II

Increased coffee consumption to reduce diabetes risk

According to a US study, increased coffee consumption may help protect against diabetes-2. The study evaluated data from more than 120,000 people. However, experts doubt the validity of the study.

Increased coffee consumption to reduce diabetes risk
Coffee is the most popular drink of the Germans, even before mineral water or beer; Every German citizen drinks almost 150 liters of it a year on average. Maybe they are doing something good for their health. As US researchers recently announced, people who increase their coffee consumption could potentially lower the risk of diabetes-2 disease. They published the results of the study, for which data from more than 120,000 people were evaluated, on Friday in the journal „Diabetologia“. According to him, persons who increased their coffee consumption by one and a half cups over a period of four years - compared to people whose coffee consumption remained the same - had an eleven percent lower risk of developing diabetes 2 later.

Data from over 120,000 people evaluated
For the study, scientists working with Shilpa Bhupathiraju from the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, evaluated data from 95,000 nurses who participated in two US health studies. In addition, the analysis included data from 28,000 men who also worked in the healthcare sector and who had originally participated in another study. Over a four-year period, researchers examined participants' coffee consumption and calculated the risk of developing diabetes 2 in the following years to get sick. The risk of developing adult-onset diabetes (as the disease was often referred to in the past) increased by 18 percent, according to those who had reduced their consumption by about two cups a day during the study period. Therefore, the study authors conclude: „Changes in coffee consumption seem to influence the risk of diabetes in a very short time.“

Caffeine is not responsible for the effect
In addition, people who drink a lot of coffee - at least three cups a day - the study had a 37 percent lower diabetes risk than those who drank only a cup or less. Earlier research had suggested a link between coffee consumption and a lower risk of diabetes 2. Among other things, it was found that the risk was reduced more in men than in women. In the context of older studies, scientists said that antioxidants, polyphenols or minerals, in particular, have the protective effect, not caffeine. For with decaffeinated coffee, the effect is measurable in the same way.

Increased diabetes risk with high blood pressure and cholesterol levels
However, the authors of the current study warned that their findings might be one „true change of risk“ show. But it is also possible that study participants lowered their coffee consumption for a reason, for example, because in them an increased blood pressure or elevated cholesterol levels was measured. They would therefore have a higher risk of diabetes 2 anyway than other people, regardless of their coffee consumption.

Experts doubt the validity of the study
The data analysis of the study was, however, by experts as „potentially misleading“ designated. They scrutinized the research for the independent science control organization Science Media Center. Only possible short-term effects of a change in coffee consumption have been investigated. There is no evidence that long-term coffee consumption reduces the risk of diabetes. Their conclusion is therefore: „From this study, no recommendations for coffee consumption can be derived.“ Experts have long been saying that such nutritional observational studies provide only hypotheses that sound exciting on the one hand but often over-interpreted on the other hand. For example, graduate nutrition scientist Uwe Knop explained years ago: „Enjoy your coffee when it tastes good and gets you good - but do not believe the numerous reports that you 'lower' more than four cups a day´ Your risk of diabetes, depression, cancer, Alzheimer's, gout, stroke and heart disease!“ (Ad)